After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

All I have to do next is to seduce her and control her.

As for that somewhat inexplicable "Wakaba Mutsu" from earlier, he will eventually be discarded by Wakaba Mutsu himself, and it won't affect his plans.

Unaware of what Toyokawa Yuu was thinking, Wakaba Mutsu looked at his own half-body, his thin voice filled with guilt.

"......sorry."

I'm sorry, I didn't immediately make up my mind to take my body back...

"I just wanted to help you..."

I'd like to learn more about the new Mu, and help you learn more about Mr. Youyu...

The apologetic tone, as if the blunder was a huge mistake, finally quieted down the long-argued break room.

until......

"Stop being so willful!"

A rebuke came from Toyokawa Shoko's mouth, as if some emotion that had been suppressed in her heart had broken through the threshold with Wakaba Mutsu's apology.

"Is the stage a place where you can do whatever you want? I emphasized this to you every time we finished rehearsing a few days ago, right? People who know us will also be coming to this concert."

With her hands clenched into fists, the blue-haired girl even adopted a hysterical sobbing tone.

"You know how sensitive they are to music, right? They might even recognize me... Why can't you show us the good side of ourselves? Why do you always make me look like a fool in front of them!"

Why... why do I have to be shown such an embarrassing side of myself?

Why even expose the carefully constructed illusion that "I can live well even if I leave the past"?

"Auspicious..."

This was a reason that Toyokawa Shoko had never given before. Faced with this sudden rebuke, Ruoye Mu stood there, stunned, not knowing what to say in her defense.

However, Shoko Toyokawa, who had entered a state of near-temporary self-abandonment, did not stop her voice.

"You used to understand me so well, so why are you being so willful at times like this? Why won't you help me at times like this?"

"Why... at a time like this, are you only thinking about yourself?"

As Toyokawa Shoko finished speaking, Wakaba Mutsu couldn't help but catch his breath, and his golden pupils shrank.

A deathly silence spread through the lounge; the room, where the argument had just taken place, was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Finally, she released the pressure that had been building up over the past few days. With slightly heavy breathing, the cool air rushed back into her mouth, finally clearing Toyokawa Shoko's mind.

What...what did I do?

Did I get angry at Mu?

They even brought up CRYCHIC in the lounge?

Seeing the somewhat numb and hesitant expression on Wakaba Mutsu's face, Toyokawa Shoko gritted her teeth and subconsciously wanted to turn around and run away.

But no, this is still the rest room, and as the team leader, I can't be so weak as to run away.

"enough!"

A domineering rebuke rang out, and Toyokawa Yuu forcefully ended the argument.

"Let's leave this topic here. The main responsibility for the accident lies with me, but the achievements must be maintained. No one is allowed to say that this was a performance accident."

Turning to look at the bewildered Wakaba Mutsu, Toyokawa Yuu's voice softened, and she took the initiative to extend goodwill to the woman who had been hurt by Shoko's careless words.

"Tomorrow, Mortis and I will go for psychological counseling, while Xiangzi, you need to reflect on your responsibilities as the band leader and re-evaluate your relationships outside the band and your interpersonal relationships within the band."

"Now, everyone else can go back and rest. Meeting adjourned."

【Peng——】

The moment Yuu Toyokawa finished speaking, the door to the lounge was slammed shut.

The blue-haired girl disappeared before the eyes of the rest of Ave Mujica.

...............................................................

In the backstage restroom of the performance hall, a blue-haired girl stood quietly in front of the washbasin.

As the concert ended and the guests left, the once bustling and lively performance hall now felt desolate and empty.

The staff were busy cleaning the stage and tidying up the venue. Busy figures could be seen passing by outside the door from time to time, but no one had time to come here.

At this moment, this is one of the few places where Toyokawa Shoko can be alone.

Removing her mask and gloves, the blue-haired girl cupped the water flowing from the tap in her hands and splashed it on her face.

The cool water completely cooled down his mind, which had been almost overwhelmed by pressure, and everything that had just happened in the lounge began to flash through his mind like a slideshow.

Not only did he blurt out his selfish motives in front of everyone, but he also got so angry with Mu.

His selfish desire to prove to those who might recognize him that he could live well even after cutting ties with the past was exposed.

The goal of having the concert proceed smoothly and steadily, delivering a spectacular performance step by step, failed.

He promised to protect Mu and cherish her as if she were his own body, but he broke his promise.

It indicates that they will use any means necessary, but they are unwilling to fully adopt Youyu's snobbish and cold-hearted approach.

I had made what I thought was complete preparations, and these past few days I had been practicing the performance with everyone again and again. I could even play the piece by muscle memory with my eyes closed.

Realizing that Mu would feel pressured to go on stage, he would take her out for a cup of tea after each practice session and remind her to give her best performance.

But... why, why do I always encounter all sorts of unexpected situations whenever I try to accomplish something?

The icy water slipped away between her fingers, and Toyokawa Shoko looked up at herself in the mirror.

Her wet hair clung to her face, and the water droplets running down her cheeks and neck soaked her collar. The light makeup she had prepared for the stage performance was also ruined, leaving faint streaks on her face.

Without the mask to conceal it and the added mystery, this face looks so disheveled.

Even though it wasn't raining outside and I hadn't gotten wet, the scene in the mirror seemed to revert to that rainy day that changed my life.

The glamorous performance costumes reverted to simple, even somewhat faded, everyday clothes, with only the damp ends of the hair on the forehead becoming a full head of wet hair.

Those amber eyes were completely unworthy of the online description of her as "majestic and serene like a tyrant," and the water stains around her eyes looked as if they were brimming with tears.

That soft, yielding version of myself should have been killed by my own hands, but...

A drop of water slid down his chin and dripped into the pool in front of him, the soft patter sound like a faint chuckle.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Toyokawa Shoko suddenly felt that her reflection was ugly and repulsive.

"What a... good-for-nothing idiot."

When faced with Yawata Kairin's attempt to shirk responsibility, Toyokawa Shoko did not refute her at the time.

Although it sounded harsh and seemed like an excuse, she couldn't find anything wrong with it.

He confidently declared that he could revise the script in time, yet he selfishly placed all the pressure on his own shoulders.

Mu knows himself best.

If I had simply admitted that the concert was no longer perfect and regretfully announced a half-hour delay, everything could have been back on track.

What exactly went wrong that led to this situation?

Shoko Toyokawa was well aware of the praise circulating online for tonight's performance.

She knew that if she let go of some things, she could enjoy this accidental success with a clear conscience, but her inner stubbornness prevented her from deceiving herself.

But what's done is done, and what can one do in the face of a fait accompli?

It's just that she's determined to make herself miserable.

With a sigh, Toyokawa Shoko closed her eyes, briefly letting herself sink into despair.

She was awakened by the soft vibration of her phone.

When she lifted her eyelids again, she saw herself in the mirror dressed in a gorgeous gown, the tears welling up in her eyes long since evaporated.

I looked down and opened my phone. The vibration was caused by a newly sent text message. A familiar profile picture and name came into view.

Soyo: [Xiao Xiang, do you have time to meet and talk now? I have some questions for you.]

Is this another trip to send me back to the past?

Or perhaps... they've already seen through my identity and are here specifically to mock me.

Even though reason and her understanding of her past friends made Toyokawa Shoko realize that Nagasaki Sase wasn't the type to mock others.

On the contrary, if she knew about her disappointment, she would probably show a maternal glow and a warm smile.

But for Toyokawa Shoko now, that kind of comfort and mockery are not much different.

After thinking about it, Toyokawa Shoko put down her phone and pretended not to have seen the text message.

But the person on the other end of the phone seemed unusually persistent tonight, sending several more messages after not receiving a reply.

[Xiao Xiang, I know you're actually watching, could you please reply to me?]

Why are you saying nothing? Have we become so estranged?

I'll be waiting for you at Asukayama Park. You can come before midnight tonight.

Looking at these annoying messages, Toyokawa Shoko gritted her teeth and decided to turn off her phone completely.

But just before the screen went dark, the last message caught her eye.

【Oblivionis, I want to see you.】

Chapter 62 I'll Go to This Fun Even If It Kills Me (12,000 words)

Nine years and three hundred and sixty days before Toyokawa Shoko's death, at night.

.................................................. ......................

On the way home after the concert, the atmosphere among MyGO!!!!! and the others was a bit somber.

Apart from the Persian cat girl who seemed indifferent to everything except her guitar and matcha parfait, everyone else was somewhat distracted.

Gao Songdeng kept her head down and didn't say a word. Just one look at her habitually huddled up, and it was clear that she was still upset about Mortis's bizarre performance earlier.

Those who once belonged to CRYCHIC knew very well that the quiet and reserved girl would never do such a thing unless someone was forcing her.

But for that aloof green-haired girl, there is probably only one person in the world who could push her to this point.

And everyone knows who this person is.

Sitting next to Takamatsu Akari, Shiina Tatsuki also remained silent, but judging from her frequent glances around, she was clearly becoming increasingly agitated.

He would occasionally take out his phone to send a message to someone, but judging from the growing disappointment with each time he took out his phone, he clearly hadn't received the answer he wanted.

Or rather... there was no answer at all.

This cannot go on.

As everyone grew increasingly silent after the team-building activity ended, a voice echoed in Nagasaki Sase's mind.

Originally, she had ulterior motives when she encouraged everyone to come to the concert.

I want to have a good talk with Shoko Toyokawa and ask her what's going on with her new band.

Didn't she already become indifferent to the band? Didn't she reject her own invitation to be fully Crychic? Then what about that new band? And what about Wakaba Mutsumi, who is still by her side?

They don't want to form a band with us, but can we just bring along those strangers like Muhe?

However, when she saw the puppet named Mortis dancing on stage as if she had gone mad, Nagasaki Sase knew that all her original plans no longer mattered.

Xiao Xiang... has changed.

She, who was meticulous about music, actually tolerated such recklessness.

Moreover, they even made Xiao Mu perform that kind of act on stage.

The screams of Wakaba Mutsu still echoed in my mind; that unease and fear seemed to reach straight to my soul.

No, rather, the fact that Xiao Mu could express such vivid emotions so clearly was already unusual.

In Nagasaki Sase's memory, the girl who liked to grow cucumbers should have been more calm and reserved.

As for the cucumbers she planted... Nagasaki Sosei visited her cucumber field and found that they had withered long ago due to lack of care.

Moreover, even the most perceptive Deng said that Xiao Mu seemed to be on the verge of tears after such an exaggerated performance on stage.

The feel of the light is absolutely correct.

Her lyrics were once described by Xiangzi as "a cry from the heart".